THE OYSTER AND THE OYSTER INDUSTRY. 43 



UNLOADING AT WHARF. 



In most cases the oysters are shoveled from the hold or deck into 

 large measures or buckets and hoisted to the wharf by a rope passing 

 over a pulley and operated by hand or by a crane with a donkey 

 engine as motive power, as in Plate XII, figure 2. The buckets are 

 emptied onto the wharf and the oysters removed later in wheel- 

 barrows; or into wheelbarrows and the oysters rolled into the shuck- 

 ing room on a level with the wharf, or sometimes to a storage room 

 on an upper floor (PI. XII, fig. 2). Some large oyster companies 

 have arrangements whereby the buckets are lifted directly into the 

 storage room, and some have an elevator, the end of which may bo 

 lowered into the boat and the oysters shoveled onto an endless belt 

 or other carrying device (PI. XIX, fig. 2), 



This carrier transports tli© oysters directly to the storage room or 

 drops them into another endless bucket-chain carrier which does so. 

 In case the oysters are to be canned they are dumped from the buckets, 

 which liave lifted them from the boat, directly into cars, which are 

 tlien pushed into the steamers inside the cannery. 



FLOATING. 



Brief mention may be made of the practice whereby, in some 

 localities, oysters, after being taken from the beds, are "floated" 

 for a time before being used. This process is accomplished by 

 spreading the oysters out in a large shallow barge or float so con- 

 structed that, while resting at the surface, water may freely circulate 

 through it, the oysters thereby being covered at all times. Such 

 floats vary considerably in structure, often consisting of a rectangular 

 framework some 12 or 15 feet wide by 20 to 30 feet long, made of 

 four large timbers 15 or 18 inches in diameter, with a bottom of 

 boards laid so that cracks are left between them. The float may be 

 towed to the desired point and anchored either before or after the 

 oysters are placed in it. 



The floating is usually undertaken for one of two purposes — purifi- 

 cation and cleaning of the oysters or temporary- storage. In certain 

 regions oysters from beds which are exposed to sewage are floated 

 in'waters^ of a certain degree of saltness designated by the health 

 authorities until any possible impurities contained are thrown off. 

 In such salt water the oysters do not become bloated, as they would 

 if floated in fresh. Oysters are also sometimes floated in order that 

 they may free themselves from sand or dirt contained in the intestinal 

 tract. 



Some companies maintain floats such as described in which a 

 temporary stock of oysters may be kept a day or two in order to have 

 a supply on hand to flU extra orders or to tide over a shortage caused 

 by failure to ol)tain sufficient stock directly from the beds, tor any 

 cause, such as the breakdown of a boat or f omiation of heaAn^ ice over 

 the beds. In this case the floats are placed by the oyster house in 

 water of about the saltness of that over the beds. 



The practice of floating oysters in fresh water of creeks and rivers 

 for the purpose of "fattening" has largely died out or been suppressed 

 by health authorities. The oyster did not fatten in such circum- 

 stances, but merely enlarged itself by absorbing creek water which 

 the consumer paid for at oyster prices. 



